Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes resigned on Thursday afternoon following intense scrutiny over the city’s response to a mass shooting at the Bite of Seattle event. Mayor Katie Wilson quickly moved to fill the vacancy, appointing Deputy Chief Andre Sayles to serve as the interim leader of the department. The sudden departure follows a week of mounting criticism regarding how the mayor’s office and police leadership handled public communications after the July 26 attack, which left three people dead and four others injured.

In a video statement shared on social media, Mayor Wilson admitted there were real gaps in the city’s communication strategy during the crisis. She acknowledged that a series of miscommunications led to delayed updates for the public and reporters, specifically citing a widely condemned late news conference and a failure to utilize the official Seattle Alert system. Wilson noted that information regarding outstanding suspects and the security status of the Seattle Center campus should have been disseminated much faster through social media and other emergency channels.

While both parties framed the exit as a necessary step for the city to heal, details emerged suggesting the split was not entirely mutual. A statement from Barnes’ legal representation revealed that Mayor Wilson had initially requested his resignation during a meeting on Wednesday. Despite being surprised by the request, Barnes stated that offering his voluntary resignation was ultimately the best path forward so that the city could refocus its energy on investigating the crime and addressing youth gun violence without further distraction.

The leadership shakeup has already drawn sharp criticism from several members of the Seattle City Council, who expressed concern over a lack of stability within the department. In a joint statement, council members warned that cycling through four police chiefs in just two and a half years leaves the city in a precarious position. They argued that while coordination improvements are necessary, making such a drastic change during a period of mourning creates unnecessary disruption when reliable leadership is needed most to tackle ongoing public safety challenges.